Gala Coral sells 130 bingo clubs ahead of Ladbrokes merger
Bingo - Credit: Eastern Daily Press, Archant}
Betting firm Gala Coral has announced the sale of 130 bingo clubs for £241 million.
Gala said the sale will help pave the way for the proposed £2.3 billion merger with Ladbrokes, which is still subject to regulatory approval.
The offloaded bingo clubs will continue to trade under the Gala brand through a licence agreement entered into by the two parties, it said.
Gala Coral will retain both the Gala brand and the websites Galabingo.com and Galacasino.com.
The sale to Caledonia Investments is still conditional upon approval from the Gambling Commission, which is expected to take up to two months.
The planned Ladbrokes Coral merger will create Britain's biggest bookmaker, with almost 4,000 betting shops. The sale of some of Coral's stores is seen as an attempt to ease competition regulators' concerns over the size of the new gambling giant.
Speaking about today's sale, Gala Coral chief executive Carl Leaver said: 'We are very pleased to have agreed the sale of Gala Retail, following a competitive process. The sale is another transformative step for Gala Coral Group, following the turnaround of the business over the past few years.
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'We wish the Gala Retail team all the very best for the future and believe the business will continue to thrive under its new owners. Gala Coral Group remains focused on growing and developing our retail bookmaking and online businesses, and concluding the proposed merger with Ladbrokes.'
